"49-46 scorecard is a joke", "Just fire Sal D'Amato" - Chaos ensues online as Alex Pereira losing decision to Magomed Ankalaev sparks huge fan outrage

Fans criticized the judging in the recent Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev fight. Pereira attempted the fourth defense of his light heavyweight title against the Russian in the UFC 313 main event.

Ankalaev, who mixed up grappling and striking effectively, won by unanimous decision in the closely contested fight. @UFCNews recently posted the official scorecards from the fight on X.

Judges Mike Bell and Derek Cleary scored Rounds 1 and 5 in Pereira's favor while giving Rounds 2, 3 and 4 to Ankalaev. Meanwhile, Sal D'Amato scored Rounds 2, 3, 4, and 5 in Ankalaev's favor, causing fan outrage.

Check out the Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev official scorecards below:

Fans took to the comments section to register their disappointment in MMA judging, which has come under scrutiny for a very long time.

Most fans agreed that the fight was close and the decision could have gone in either fighter's favor. However, many were particularly critical of Sal D'Amato for scoring Round 5 for Ankalaev, since the Russian had little success with either striking or grappling, and was visibly stunned by a high kick and jabs from Pereira.

One fan commented:

"I think we've had enough already. Stop the memes and jokes. Just fire Sal D'Amato. You know what? Fire them all. I want new judges from now on. New names. I'm tired."

Another wrote:

"49-46 scorecard is a joke. Round 3 was a toss up fight could have gone either way."

Check out more fan reactions below:

Fan reactions

Fan reactions

In a tense, technical battle, Pereira established an early lead with effective calf kicks and kept Ankalaev at his preferred range. However, Ankalaev managed to shift the momentum in his favor in Round 2 and hurt Pereira in the closing seconds. In Round 3, considered the closest round, 'Poatan' successfully prevented Ankalaev's advancements.

While Ankalaev pressured Pereira into a more defensive stance in Round 4, the Brazilian made a strong comeback in Round 5, landing strikes that hurt Ankalaev and successfully defending against takedown attempts until the final bell.

Fans expressed their frustration primarily because none of the judges scored Round 3 in favor of Pereira, and D'Amato controversially scored Round 5, Pereira's strongest round, for Ankalaev.

There have been calls for improving the quality of MMA judging for a long time. While it remains a highly debated topic, there have been active efforts to improve accuracy and consistency through training programs.

D'Amato, particularly, has been criticized for his judging in recent history. When the UFC 313 officials' names were announced a few days ago, fans had raised concerns over the quality of scoring.